The Race F1 Tech Show

The Race Media Ltd
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Nov 22, 2023 • 55min

2023 in review: Is the Red Bull RB19 the best F1 car of the modern era?

With the end of the season just around the corner, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson present part one of our technical review of 2023, which deals with Red Bull's all-conquering RB19 - undoubtedly the car of the season, but should it be regarded as the best of the modern era? We debate that question, assess its various strengths and minimal weaknesses, and ask how much development potential is left in the concept.Before that, Edd and Gary weigh up everything that happened in Las Vegas, with a particular focus on how and why a water valve cover was lifted by Sainz's Ferrari, and whether the rules around his subsequent penalty need looking at.And finally, Gary answers a trio of questions from listeners on the merits of push to pass versus DRS, the location of air intakes, and the difference half a millimetre of ride height can make to a car's handling.The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Nov 15, 2023 • 46min

FOCUS ON: Ambiguous statistics + Tackling track limits

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing.On this episode, Sean gives us a deep dive on ambiguous statistics, after Max Verstappen's run of dominance led to statisticians reappraising previous records.Following that, Alex climbs onto his soapbox to have his say on the thorny issue of track limits and how he - as a driver - thinks the sport needs to evolve.And in our Aramco Focus, we have the final instalment of our trio of interviews with Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough, who this week explains how teams go about designing a new car.Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.comBrought to you by Aramco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Nov 8, 2023 • 1h 5min

Why are so many teams suffering big performance swings from race to race?

The latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show takes an in-depth look at the key technical talking points from the Brazilian Grand Prix. Host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson begin by taking a look at Fernando Alonso’s extraordinary defence (and then attack) of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, and the way the Spanish veteran used all the tools available to him within his car to secure a hard-fought podium finish.After that, Edd and Gary discuss one of this season’s big tech topics: Why some teams are experiencing such big swings in performance, from race-to-race and circuit-to-circuit. Using the contrasting fortunes of Aston Martin and Mercedes as examples, they try to unpick the key reasons for fluctuations, ask why some teams suffer more than others, and dig into why Red Bull stay so consistent. And, as ever, the show is rounded out by Gary answering several questions from listeners, which this week are on forcing teams to share data, moveable aero, and endplates.The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Oct 24, 2023 • 48min

Explaining Austin’s ‘plank’ drama & Mercedes’ important upgrades

On this week's show host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dive straight into the topic of those dramatic disqualifications to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the US Grand Prix. Gary explains how each car came to have excessive wear to the planks on the car's underfloor, why the plank is there in the first place, and why it was surprising the two teams came to be in the situation.After that, Edd and Gary discuss the major upgrades that Mercedes introduced in Austin, which tech chief James Allison described as a 'bellwether' for 2024. Gary gives his thoughts on the direction the team appear to be moving in, and whether the team's disqualification with Hamilton says anything about the benefits the package seems to have brought.There's also chat about the brake issues Aston Martin suffered in Austin, and how they affected the team's desire to assess their own package of upgrades. And in the final instalment of 'upgrade watch', Gary gives his thoughts on the package of parts Haas brought to their home event, and why he was confused by their approach.As ever, we close out the show with a pair of questions from listeners, which this time are on battery technology and whether outdated wings and floors are recycled.The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Oct 17, 2023 • 42min

FOCUS ON: How Sprint races have led to set-up errors + Hybrid dominance

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing.On this episode, Alex muses on how the Sprint weekend format contributed to Mercedes and Ferrari running into ride height problems in Austin.Following that, Sean lets his statistical mind run wild as he looks back on the first 200 races of the current turbo-hybrid era.And in our Aramco Focus, we hear once again from Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough, who explains the process by which teams bring upgrades to their cars.Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.comBrought to you by Aramco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Oct 10, 2023 • 1h 1min

Andretti and the tech challenge of starting a new F1 team from scratch

On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dive into the subject of Andretti's bid to get a team onto the F1 grid, looking specifically at the technical challenges that they'll face if granted the final green light.Having been heavily involved in starting the Jordan F1 project from scratch in 1991, Gary is well placed to comment on what's needed, even if he concedes it's a considerably tougher task in the modern era.Edd and Gary also cast an eye over events from the Qatar Grand Prix, and in particular the tyre and track limits issues that arose as the weekend unfolded. Gary gives his opinion on what played out and how problems were dealt with, and also comments on the extreme temperatures the drivers did battle with and how the FIA may go about solving the problem.And finally, Gary answers a selection of questions from listeners, including one on which part of an F1 car costs the most to develop but delivers the smallest performance benefit...The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 27, 2023 • 57min

Will anyone catch Red Bull + your questions answered

Can anyone catch Red Bull? That’s the question everyone is asking in F1 and as it’s long been clear that won’t happen this year, what about in 2024? With McLaren on form at Suzuka, Mercedes struggling and Ferrari the only team other than Red Bull to win this year, it’s far from clear which will be best-placed next season. Gary discusses the Mercedes weaknesses shown at Suzuka, delves into Ferrari’s inconsistency and pays tribute to McLaren’s remarkable turnaround. He also tackles a bumper crop of your questions covering set-up parameter, tyre pressure magic, active suspension, practice run plans and much more. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 19, 2023 • 43min

FOCUS ON: Winning at the slowest possible speed + The stats behind sudden slumps

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing.On this episode, Alex explains the rationale behind the old motor racing adage, of trying to win a race at the slowest possible speed, and why in F1 going fast is sometimes about going slow. Following that, Sean opens his statistical archives and looks back on those rare occasions when usually dominant teams suddenly have an unexpected blip. And in our Aramco Focus, we hear from Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough, who explains how teams go about extracting performance from their cars.Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.comBrought to you by Aramco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 12, 2023 • 54min

Why F1's latest flexi wing clampdown matters

Flexible bodywork: It's been a big talking point in F1 for years, with the rules technically outlawing it, but the teams forever drawn towards exploiting 'aeroelasticity' for performance gain.On this week's episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dig into the subject, ahead of the new technical directive issued to teams by the FIA ahead of the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix.Amongst other things they discuss what the new directive says, what it aims to stamp out, why a certain amount of flexibility in wings and other bodywork is allowed (but others isn't), and who stands to benefit or lose on track.Before that, Gary opines on why we saw a return of porpoising at Monza, and gives his view on the various intra-team on-track battles we saw, having witnessed with many in his own career on the pit wall.And there's also time for Gary to answer another batch of YOUR questions, including ones on part sharing between teams, running repairs, and bespoke engines.The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 10, 2023 • 51min

FOCUS ON: F1's complicated relationship with dominance AND team orders

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing.On this episode, Sean digs into the stats to discuss F1's sometimes complicated relationship with dominance, where highly successful teams and drivers can be both celebrated for their achievements and disliked for upsetting the competitive balance.Following that, Alex dives into the topic of how team-mates should battle each other on track, and in particular whether it's better for an F1 squad to apply strict team orders or adopt a more relaxed 'let them race' philosophy.And in our Aramco Focus, we hear from the founder and chairman of F1 in Schools, Andrew Denford, fresh from the Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals in Singapore.Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.comBrought to you by Aramco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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